US Military Suffers $3.3 Billion in Aircraft Losses During Conflict With Iran
A US Congressional Research Service report reveals that the US military lost at least 81 aircraft, including F-15s and MQ-9 Reapers, valued at $3.3 billion in the conflict with Iran.
The United States Armed Forces suffered severe and costly losses during the conflict with Iran, with at least 81 military aircraft, including jets, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles, damaged or destroyed. The cumulative damage is estimated at no less than $3.3 billion, according to a new report by the Congressional Research Service published in the New York Post.
Advanced Fighter Jets and Drones Impacted
The alarming data reveals that among the damaged or destroyed assets are some of the most advanced and expensive fighter jets in the American arsenal. The list includes 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets and one F-35A Lightning II stealth aircraft that sustained damage from Iranian fire. Three of the F-15 jets, each valued at over $30 million, were shot down by US military fire over the skies of Kuwait in March, while another aircraft was shot down over Iranian skies a month later. Eight additional jets of this model sustained minor damage in the Iranian airstrike on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in September, though they have since returned to operational service.
Significant damage was also recorded in the US unmanned aerial vehicle array. At least 45 advanced MQ-9 Reaper drones, used for surveillance and strike missions and valued at $30 to $50 million each, were lost during the fighting. This loss reduced the fleet of these drones to just 135 units, falling well short of the US Air Force's required readiness standard of 189 available drones for deployment.
Broader Fleet Losses and Supply Chain Concerns
Additionally, the congressional report highlights the loss of an E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft, an aging yet vital platform valued at $270 million, as well as two A-10 Warthog attack aircraft, with one shot down in April and the other damaged in September.
The full casualty list published in the report details widespread damage across the helicopter and support aircraft array as well. Among other losses, seven KC-135 refueling aircraft, two MC-130J special operations transport aircraft, an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, four AH-6 Little Bird light attack helicopters, and an MH-60 maritime helicopter were impacted.
The Congressional Research Service report, based on media reports and Department of Defense data, warns that the heavy losses could severely test supply chains and the US defense industry's ability to replace the lost hardware at the required pace.
